> For hourly contracts they take random snapshots of your desktop in 10 minutes intervals and they measure your mouse movements and key presses to show your activity
I thought you might have been exaggerating, but that truly is utterly absurd! I just can't believe people actually work under such conditions!
I've used Upwork as a freelancer. The last part is false: they never charge transfer fees (at least in the US), and you typically receive funds in 1-2 weeks.